Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Akron
10/27/2026 7:48:00 PM | Soccer
Eastern seeking MAC Tournament qualification for first time since 2019
| Soccer at Akron, vs. UMass | |
| Date | Thursday, Oct. 29 at 6:30 p.m. |
| Venue | FirstEnergy Stadium | Akron, Ohio | Scicluna Field | Ypsilanti, Mich. |
| Preview Info | EMU Notes (PDF) |
| Watch | Watch at Akron | Watch vs. UMass |
| Live Stats | Live Stats |
| @EMUSoccer | @EMUAthletics | |
AKRON, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – Eastern Michigan University women's soccer closes the regular season with a pair of critical Mid-American Conference matches, traveling to face the University of Akron Thursday, Oct. 29, at 6:30 p.m. before returning home to host the University of Massachusetts Sunday, Nov. 1, at noon at Scicluna Field, with MAC Tournament seeding on the line in both contests.
ON THE AIR:
Both matches will be streamed on ESPN+. Thursday's match at Akron can be watched at ESPN+, with live stats available at emueagles.com. Sunday's home match against Massachusetts is also on ESPN+, with live stats available through StatBroadcast.
QUICK KICKS:
» Eastern Michigan enters the week 6-4-5 overall and 4-3-2 in MAC play with 14 points, sitting third in the conference standings.
» The Eagles have gone winless in four straight matches (0-3-1) since Oct. 11, with losses to Miami, Western Michigan and Ohio sandwiching a 1-1 draw against Toledo on Oct. 24.
» Redshirt senior goalkeeper Ella Holland has extended her own program record for consecutive minutes played to 4,590:00, and senior forward Olivia Sipsock scored her 20th career goal against Western Michigan on Oct. 15.
» Akron enters 7-6-3 overall and 3-3-3 in MAC play. The Zips have gone 1-1-1 in their last three matches, most recently falling 2-1 at Kent State on Oct. 25.
» Massachusetts enters 10-1-5 overall and 4-0-5 in MAC play — unbeaten in conference — and is coming off a 0-0 draw with Central Michigan on Oct. 24.
» Eastern Michigan leads the all-time series against Akron 16-6-2 since 2001, including an 8-4-1 road record at Akron's venue. The Eagles won the most recent meeting 3-0 at home on Oct. 19, 2025.
» Eastern Michigan is 0-1-1 all-time against Massachusetts. The programs last met on Oct. 12, 2025, a 0-0 draw at Massachusetts. Sunday's match at Scicluna Field will be the first time EMU has hosted the Minutemen and Minutewomen.
FOUR-GAME WINLESS RUN: Eastern Michigan has gone winless in four consecutive matches (0-3-1) since Oct. 11, when a nine-game unbeaten streak was snapped in a 3-1 home loss to Miami. The Eagles fell 3-1 to Western Michigan at home Oct. 15 — with senior forward Olivia Sipsock (Medina, Ohio/Medina) scoring via an assist from senior defender Cameryn Susey (Westerville, Ohio/Olentangy Berlin) — then dropped a 1-0 decision at Ohio on Oct. 18. Eastern drew 1-1 with Toledo on Oct. 24, with freshman forward Ella Miller (Mount Morris, Pa./Morgantown) scoring the equalizer off assists from freshman forward Lauren Yaquinto (Northville, Mich./Northville) and sophomore defender Meredith Werner (Broadview Heights, Ohio/North Royalton).
MAC TOURNAMENT SCENARIOS: The Eagles control their own postseason destiny entering the final two matches of the regular season. Eastern holds 14 points and a 4-3-2 MAC record, sitting third in the conference standings. A strong finish this week — starting with Thursday's road match at Akron and closing with Sunday's home date against Massachusetts — gives the Green and White the opportunity to strengthen their tournament seeding heading into the MAC Tournament, which begins Saturday, Nov. 7, in Columbus, Ohio.
HOLLAND IN GOAL: Redshirt senior goalkeeper Ella Holland (Dunwoody, Ga./Dunwoody/Samford) continues to rewrite the Eastern Michigan record book. Holland has extended her own program record for consecutive minutes played to 4,590:00 and made her 50th consecutive start for the Eagles on Oct. 18 at Ohio. She has recorded 303 career saves at Eastern Michigan.
SIPSOCK REACHES MILESTONE: Sipsock scored her 20th career goal against Western Michigan on Oct. 15, her first goal of the 2026 season. Redshirt junior defender Christie Fransen (Wooster, Ohio/Wooster/Bowling Green) leads the 2026 squad with five goals and 12 points, a total that ranks eighth in Eastern Michigan career points since 2011.
AKRON'S FORM: The University of Akron enters Thursday's match 7-6-3 overall and 3-3-3 in MAC play with 12 conference points. The Zips have gone 1-1-1 in their last three matches: a 1-0 win at Central Michigan on Oct. 15, a 0-0 draw with Buffalo on Oct. 18, and a 2-1 loss at Kent State on Oct. 25. Goalkeeper Sara Bower was named MAC Goalkeeper of the Week on Oct. 20 after recording back-to-back shutouts and her sixth clean sheet of the season. She made 12 saves in the loss at Kent State and has moved into second place on Akron's career saves list with 215.
ZIPS TO WATCH: Defender/forward Jordanne Oberhaus has been a key offensive contributor for Akron, scoring the game-winner in the 60th minute at Central Michigan on Oct. 15 off an assist from midfielder Allie McMillen. Forward Taylor Allen and midfielder Callee DalBon have also factored into the Zips' attack in recent weeks, with DalBon scoring on a free kick in the 10th minute against Kent State on Oct. 25.
MASSACHUSETTS'S FORM: The University of Massachusetts enters Sunday's match 10-1-5 overall and 4-0-5 in MAC play with 17 conference points, unbeaten in conference competition through nine games. The Minutemen and Minutewomen are coming off a 0-0 draw with Central Michigan on Oct. 24 and a 3-2 home win over Miami on Oct. 18. Massachusetts has scored 30 goals this season against 15 allowed, averaging 1.88 goals per game. Goalkeeper Leah Nisenfeld has recorded eight shutouts this season, including a four-save clean sheet against Central Michigan.
MINUTEWOMEN TO WATCH: Defender/midfielder Amelia Deren leads Massachusetts with six goals, all from the penalty spot. Forward Amelia Bloom scored her first collegiate brace in the 3-2 win over Miami on Oct. 18, finding the net in the 54th and 87th minutes. Freshman midfielder Reilly Tassinari scored her first career goal in a 1-1 draw with Akron on Oct. 11.
THE SERIES VS. AKRON:
Eastern Michigan leads the all-time series against Akron 16-6-2 in a series dating to 2001, including an 8-4-1 road record at Akron's venue. The Eagles won the most recent meeting 3-0 at home on Oct. 19, 2025. EMU's last road win at Akron came by a 1-0 score on Oct. 31, 2024.
THE SERIES VS. MASSACHUSETTS:
Eastern Michigan is 0-1-1 all-time against Massachusetts. The programs last met on Oct. 12, 2025, a 0-0 draw played at Massachusetts. Eastern has never won in the series, and Sunday's match at Scicluna Field will mark the first time the Eagles have hosted the Minutemen and Minutewomen.
KEYS TO THE GAME:
Eastern Michigan must end its four-game winless run by finding the net consistently — the Eagles have been held scoreless or to a single goal in each of the last four matches — while limiting an Akron side that has recorded six shutouts this season and a Massachusetts program that has conceded just 15 goals in 16 games. Holland's continued performance in goal will be central to both results, and Eastern will need contributions from multiple attackers to generate the kind of pressure that produces results in two difficult MAC contests.
OUTLOOK:
With 14 MAC points and two matches remaining, Eastern Michigan controls its own path to the MAC Tournament. A result at Akron would add to the Eagles' conference point total and keep seeding options open heading into Sunday's home finale against MAC-leading Massachusetts. The Green and White close the regular season at Scicluna Field knowing a strong week could determine where — and as what seed — they enter the tournament in Columbus.
FOLLOW ALONG:
Follow Eastern Michigan women's soccer on Twitter (@EMUSoccer), Instagram (@EMUSoccer) and Facebook (Eastern Michigan Soccer) for live updates, highlights and news throughout the match.
UP NEXT:
Following Sunday's home match against Massachusetts, Eastern Michigan's next scheduled competition is the MAC Tournament, set to begin Saturday, Nov. 7, in Columbus, Ohio.
